Where to start

Are you looking to get to your best healthy self and don't know where to start? Here are a dozen ways to kick off your fitness journey!

Row House: Start where you are with a non-weight-bearing rowing class at Row House, where certified coaches will guide you through rowing intervals combined with off-the-rower strength conditioning to create a unique workout that defines your whole body!

Burn Bootcamp offers a wide range of 45 minute HIIT classes that target arms, legs, or all-over body with never the same workout twice!

D1 Athletics: Whether you’re a beginner looking to lose some weight or a collegiate athlete with your eye on going pro—or anyone in between—The D1 Athletics team is dedicated to helping you reach your goals. Backed by decades of experience, we have the age-appropriate programs, expert coaches, and specialized facilities that will power you to your goals.

Athletic Republic offers state-of-the-art training that unlocks the potential of any athlete, helping them perform at their best. Over the past 30 years, our science-based protocols and specialized equipment have helped more than one million athletes of all ages achieve their goals. Did I mention that Ironman legend Mark Allen helped design the Athletic Republic experience?

Synergy Fitness specializes in group HIIT training programs and personalized workouts! The METCON class was HARD after my run-up to the studio!

Crossfit Breaking Boundaries: CrossFit is a branded fitness regimen that involves constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity. Crossfit Breaking Boundaries has created a non-intimidating and welcoming environment for people like me who are new to Crossfit! I love this class!!!

Twisted Cycle is a fitness experience that combines high-intensity interval training (HIIT), indoor cycling, and strength training, all tracked by state-of-the-art technology. By Implementing the effectiveness of traditional strength training and total body HIIT exercises, Twisted Cycle is designed to build lean muscle, burn fat and create a community in a high energy and encouraging environment.

SPENGA combines spin, strength, and yoga packed into a 60-minute class!

Cyclebar offers a variety of cycling classes ranging from 30 minutes to a full hour with no need to bring your shoes to clip in; they are provided for you! I loved the environment with pedal-turning, heart-pumping, mood-elevating fun every single time you ride!

LA Fitness makes fitness convenient and affordable with 700+ locations in the US and Canada. Most offer a lap pool and a variety of classes, including my favorite: spin classes which are offered at various times throughout the day.

Cycling outdoors has been tough this time of year with the cold and I have been taking a lot of spin classes to get my miles in. I am a huge fan of Anthony's 5:45 AM cycle class at LA Fitness in Alpharetta off of Winward Parkway. Anthony makes cycling fun and engaging as possible at this hour!

Lifetime Fitness: I have a long history with Lifetime Fitness that goes back 20 years when Lifetime Fitness first opened up its' facilities in Michigan. When my oldest was a baby, Lifetime Fitness was the only gym that offered a class for newborn babies to be part of our class. We brought our babies to class, and they became part of our "workouts"; our babies were our weights! It was a fun way for us new moms to get back in shape in a truly welcoming environment.

Over the years, Lifetime Fitness became part of our "family"; we had countless birthday parties for our children at the pools, rock climbing classes, kids fitness classes, swim team, lessons, and followed by meals at the cafe, even our babysitters came from Lifetime Fitness! As for adults, Lifetime Fitness offers a class for every fitness level you can imagine, from Yoga to Spinning.

I recently went back to try out the EDG cycling class, which combines high energy and high effort with performance-focused technology to deliver a powerful workout whether you’re a first-time indoor cyclist or a seasoned athlete.

I later went for a 1.2-mile swim in Lifetime Fitness's lap pool that is actually designed for endurance swimmers with a temperature of 77 degrees; most gyms keep the pool temperature around 82 degrees, and it gets incredibly warm swimming 80+ laps at a time.

Lifetime Fitness now offers two types of memberships: the Signature and Standard to meet you where you are.

The pool, strength training, and cycling classes are just what I need for Ironman, and I will be back again, hopefully, sooner than later, not only as a member but as an instructor. This gym feels like my home.

Onelife Fitness has gyms in Virginia, Georgia, Maryland, West Virginia, and Missouri. It offers tremendous value with a saltwater lap pool and various classes, including HIIT and Metcon, which I got into back in 2015. I learned a lot about strength training through my personal experiences at Onelife Fitness. It's a great gym and worth checking out if you are fortunate to live near one.

To health and happiness,

Ilana

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